Bull Killed After Jumping Into Spectators

Disturbing video was released on Wednesday after a bull
jumped into the arena of the Tafalla bullring in Spain and trampled spectators.
The bull charged and tossed everything in his sight, leaving 40 people
injured.

The incident happened at an event called “recortadores” where
people get into the ring and try to get as close as possible to a bull
without getting hurt or gored.

Participants goad the bulls into charging at them so they can dodge away.
And more experienced contestants take turns performing acrobatic maneuvers
like doing summersaults over the backs of the bulls.

The Associated Press said the event was attended by 3,500 fans which
were made up of mostly young people that wanted a turn inside the bullring.

Recortadores are considered to be more humane bullfights because the
bulls are not typically killed. However, that doesn’t mean the events
are a cakewalk for the bulls and that they don’t get hurt.

The bull that hurled himself into the grandstands had injured one of
his horns and was being returned to the corral when he leaped into the
crowd. He had tried to jump over the barriers and into the spectators
two other times that day.

After several minutes the 1,100 pound bull was rounded up with the help
of a former bullfighter who was in the crowd. The bull was then killed.

Most of the injuries to the fans were minor and consisted of cuts and
bruises. One 10-year-old boy was admitted to intensive care after the
bull fell on him. And another man was gored in the back, but was in stable
condition.

The mayor of Tafalla reflected about the outcome of the incident. “What
could have been a tragedy ended up as a big fright,” said Mayor
Cristina Sota to the Diario de Navarra newspaper.

A reader of The Lede also tried to defend the recortadores: This was
not a typical bullfight. In these types of “corridas” they
do not kill the bull, nor do they harm it. The show consists of getting
as close as possible to the bull, without getting hurt…..the animals
are not harmed in any way.

Unfortunately this is not what happened at the Tafalla bullring. The
bull was hurt during the show and executed for his behavior.

News about this story grew quickly, but there is very little discussion
about the stress the animals endure or the confusion they must experience
by being placed inside a ring with people taunting them. This sad event
is another reason why the ban on bullfighting, like the one recently passed
in the Catalonia region of Spain, is a good idea.